Even as the lockdown brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic sees a surge in TV and Digital content consumption, another interesting consequence that has emerged is the growing trust that Indians are placing in newspapers. With fake news aplenty and WhatsApp rumour mills working overtime during the crisis, trust is at a premium today. A recent survey conducted by research firm Avance Field & Brand Solutions LLP indicates that Indians are more willing to trust the print media for verified information. The survey, which gauged the lockdown’s impact on reading patterns and time-spent by the public, found that the number of readers who used to spend over an hour on newspapers every day, has risen from 16% pre-lockdown to 38% currently.
The survey was conducted through phone calls made between April 13 and 16 across the nation. It yielded some interesting observations. Not only it tells that how people read their paper, but also that how much time they spend with it.
With more time on hand, readers are also going back to the newspaper multiple times a day to read opinion pieces and sometimes for entertainment. Around 42% readers reportedly pick up the newspaper several times a day to read sections that they missed earlier.
Here are some interesting findings from the report
- Pre-lockdown, around 42% of the readers would devote half an hour to the newspaper.
- Post-lockdown, 72% of the respondents are devoting half an hour to reading the newspaper
- The number of readers who used to spend over an hour on newspapers every day, has risen from 16% pre-lockdown to 38%
- The number of people spending less than 15 minutes with the newspaper has reduced to 3% in the lockdown from 14% before lockdown
- People who would typically spend 38 minutes on the newspaper are now reading it for almost an hour
